Dodging Raindrops

Yesterday was the "Earth Day" celebration in the Village Green. I put Earth Day in quotation marks, because much of it felt ironic to me. For example: a local garden store was giving away free planting sets, made by Miracle-Gro. They contained plastic gardening tools, plasticky gardening gloves and, of course, "Miracle-Gro" was stamped all over everything. I tried to explain to Henry why we shouldn't bring one home, but he won. He also brought home two new plastic firefighter hats. Becuase, you know...fire trucks- Earth Day....I'm sure there's a link somewhere. Clara just couldn't figure out what we were doing out on such a blustery day. Here you can see Pete and Helena in the background showing Henry and Anna the ambulance.
We stuck around long enough to get some free food, including sloppy joes, potato chips, cheese, a milk drink box (organic of course!) some orange slices... It made a nice lunch at 10:30AM. And then the wind really picked up and the rain started. We started to head home, but then finally saw the ponies we had come for. At the last minute we got the kids up on the ponies. This was when Henry got fire hat #2, because the first one was under the stroller and a nice kid in front of us gave him one to keep his head dry.
Ed found a creative way to try to keep his head dry....
We got the kids to wave and pretend they were enjoying themselves....
And then we really started hoofing it...for home. We were pretty much soaked by the time we got back. Happy Earth Day weekend!!

Zoology

So, yesterday Pete skipped work- knowing it was going to be really nice out- and we went to the Brookfield Zoo. We met up with Kevin, Beth and Max there and a grand time was had by all. It was packed with field trips, but Kevin managed his fear of children and we did okay.
Here's Henry in front of the lions at the beginning of our day. That jacket was quickly shed and sunblock applied.
After big cats we went down and saw the dolphins and seals. This was about when Henry started noticing the Mold-A-Rama machines. His heart was really set on going home with a plastic mold. I was torn between allowing him to have one (because, who doesn't love Mold-A-Rama?) and teaching him about saying no to plastic.
There is a special exhibit at the zoo right now. It's a bunch of life-sized robotic dinosaurs. Note Henry's fingers lodged deep in his ears. He verged between being mildly alarmed and being on the brink of bolting.
The t-rex didn't help. I, however, was highly amused by its flappy little arms. Notice Henry still has his fingers in his ears. He was also saying "let's get out of here!"
I was also amused by the signage. Now, of course, Henry says that the dinosaurs were his favorite part of the zoo.
Next we went to the family farm area of the zoo. We liked the chickens in this henhouse, and also got an idea for the name of our next child.
Henry enjoyed petting this little chick and now thinks he wants to have one in our house.
I liked the baby goats.
I had high hopes that we might get a cute Christmas card shot by this friendly reindeer (named Heidi). I'm not sure this picture will pass muster come December, though.
This picture is just included as proof that I was actually along. Please ignore my ratty hair.
In this picture I imagine Clara is saying "Um, you guys? There's something big on the other side of the pond. I think it's looking at me."
In the monkey house...
Monkeys.
Henry wants me to call his picture "tooty head".
He did some nice sketching at the zoo too....I might have to have a post focused on Henry's art coming up some time soon.
Here's the whole crew...dusty, sweaty and tired. Oh...I guess I was holding Clara.
I love the giraffes. I thought this one was the baby, but now I don't think so. It must have been young, though.
Here are Henry and Clara with the baby giraffe statue.
And finally, since you waded through all of that....a video of the dinos.

It's Easy!

Clara has an Earth Day message for you.

Another Busy Weekend

We knew the weather was going to be very nice on Friday, so we made plans to go to the Botanic Garden and use our new membership.
We met our friends from across the street there. Here are Henry and Anna hopping up the path.
And here they are on the bridge responding to my "Hey guys! Wave!".
How sweet is this?
When we got home Henry ate a good lunch, so I reluctantly allowed him to try out his unnatural Easter Bunny treat. He had a blue one, Clara had a pink one. Mom got them at the Russell Stover outlet (I assume. On her way to or from Will and Sandy's.) and thought they were white chocolate. They were actually strangely colored "pastels". Whatever. Henry thought it was delightful.
I don't have any photos from yesterday because we were too busy running around. Henry had his first real drop-off play date at his friend Ryan's house. He had a blast. When I picked him up Ryan's mom told me what a good eater Henry was. I understood why when I asked Henry what they had for lunch "chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese and peaches and chocolate milk and I got cookies". He was in little boy food Heaven. Oh- and the mac and cheese was Spiderman shaped.
He cashed out for a nap after his play date and I had to wake him an hour later to go to a birthday party. I made him sit up in bed and I changed him into a nicer shirt. When we were in the car Pete said "You look good in that shirt, Buddy" and Henry looked at me and said "How did I get in this shirt?". He was wiped out, but revived as soon as he saw his pal Jonah at the party. His two best friends in the same day!!!!
Today was much more mellow. Clara got a bath while Henry and I went to the grocery. There was playing around the house and lunch and napping. I made cookies and then dinner. Clara got to eat from her duckie plate for the first time. She loved it.
Here's an artsy picture of our orchids in bloom.
The ducks have been visiting again. I wonder if this is the same pair that have visited in other years.
And tonight we let Henry watch a movie (he chose Shrek) because it was just a rainy movie sort of day. Usually Clara doesn't like it when Henry sits on my lap, but she didn't mind once she was able to climb on to his lap.
Here's a picture of what Henry was up to while I cooked dinner. His favorite part was where he wrote "Upshop and Willy" I told him that should maybe be his band name.
And now I should go help with story time and then see if I can muster the energy to do some ironing before I fall asleep myself....

Postcards!

My class at school is trying to get postcards from every state in the US. The families have come through for us with over 120 postcards so far, but we're still missing some from several states. We have NO postcards from Iowa yet! The kids said they'd love one from my mom or dad...(hint hint). The best postcards are the ones with state symbols or monuments on them. If you are in any of the following states please help us out by sending a postcard to:
Decker/Shamberg Class
Greenbriar School
1225 Greenbriar Ln.
Northbrook, IL
60062

Alaska
Arkansas
Delaware
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
West Virginia

Write a note telling the kids who/where you are. Thanks so much!

Baby Doll

Sometimes I look at a picture like this and I wonder....when the kids grow up and I miss this phase so much, will I become one of those ladies who collects lifelike baby dolls and names them and dresses them up in different outfits?
Look at my baby girl. Just look at her. She is a total doll. With this and my adoration of chocolate, I am totally on the road to becoming an eccentric old lady.

I know. I'm sorry. (Easter Festivities)

I just can't figure out how to narrow down the photos. This is my best attempt.
So. Starting with yesterday...Eleanor came to play and brought her parents. Here she is looking cute with her hip shoes and her Sesame Street stickers.
We spent some time dying eggs. Henry's hair is wet because he put the colander on his head.
We also made some cookies, which looked very cute until this morning when Pete dropped the entire box upside-down onto the floor. Then they weren't so cute any more. I told him it's a good thing he is.
After dinner Henry hid his plastic eggs.
Then there were baths, followed by a viewing of It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!
This morning there were eggs and treats and baskets to be found.
"What's this? What'd you get?"
The Easter bunny sent a wheelbarrow via Iowa for Henry. He found it hiding in his card-table house with some gifts inside, including The Wind in the Willows and a pink and yellow butterfly ball for Clara.
Here's where I really had trouble cutting back on the photos. It was a challenging photo shoot.
Clara had to get her shoes on...
We had to get them both looking at the camera...
Henry can't seem to make a natural smile. He tries too hard, like his Uncle Rob.
And then the hat became a little much...
And the contents of the baskets got emptied...
And then Clara said "I'm done! Pick me up!"
Her papa obliged.
We went to church in Deerfield, then to Peter and Mary's for brunch. Here's the obligatory photo of Henry with the lamb cake.
Henry got a "blue track" from the Deerfield Bunny. It was actually pretty cool...just a long, flexible track that you suction-cup to the wall and configure how you want. There were some Hot Wheels in his basket, but Henry liked using marbles on the track.
He and Bampa worked on the funny bunny biscuits while Pete tried to keep Henry from eating the day-glo red cherries.
Aunt Liz and Uncle Van arrived a bit later. Clara was very stylish in Liz's Gucci (?) sunglasses.
And, finally, we got the obligatory photo of Van with the Lamb cake.
Happy Easter to all and to all a good nap!